EMERGENCY barriers will help protect Stratford’s Waterside from future flooding.
Stratford is one of the communities at risk of flooding across England which the Environment Agency is supporting with 40km of temporary barriers which can be deployed when needed.
And the agency will carry out a major flood defence exercise on Waterside when a temporary flood barrier will be placed along the street on Tuesday November 7.
The exercise, which will start at 7am, will provide an opportunity to test the agency’s barrier deployment plan and procedures. Waterside will be closed to traffic for most of the day
Operations manager Emma Smailes said: “This is a major test of our operational equipment. Although we have carried out numerous barrier deployment exercises at our training depots, doing it on location will give our field team invaluable experience.”
Stratford District Council planning and administrative services spokesman Coun Daren Pemberton welcomed Waterside’s inclusion in the agency’s flood defence plans.
He said: “In the past Stratford, and Waterside in particular, has flooded and remains at risk of flooding, so the temporary barrier will now help to protect vulnerable properties in this location during future flooding events.
“Testing the assembly of the barrier is important to ensure that it all works smoothly in a live emergency situation.”
Warwickshire County Council’s community safety spokesman Coun Howard Roberts added it was important everything possible was done to prevent flooding.
He said: “Flooding is one of the major hazards potentially affecting Warwickshire residents and it is vital that we are prepared to respond.”
During the exercise, pedestrians will not be able to walk along areas immediately in front of and behind the barrier, between the Encore Pub and the junction of Waterside and Chapel Lane, for health and safety reasons.
Businesses on Waterside will remain accessible.
